y by composing the dissensions of the
Arretians, and effecting a reconciliation between the Cilnian family
and the commons. Marcus Valerius was elected consul, before the
expiration of his dictatorship, many have believed, without his
soliciting the office, and even while he was absent; and that the
election was held by an interrex. In one point all agree, that he held
the consulship with Quintus Appulcius Pansa.

6. During this consulate of Marcus Valerius and Quintus Appulcius,
affairs abroad wore a very peaceable aspect. Their losses sustained in
war, together with the truce, kept the Etrurians quiet. The Samnites,
depressed by the misfortunes of many years, had not yet become
dissatisfied with their new alliance. At Rome, also, the carrying away
of such multitudes to colonies, rendered the commons tranquil, and
lightened their burthens. But, that things might not be tranquil on
all sides, a contention was excited between the principal persons in
the commonwealth, patricians on one hand, and plebeians on the other,
by the two Ogulnii, Quintus and Cneius, plebeian tribunes, who,
seeking every where occasions of criminating the patricians in the
hearing of the people, and having found other attempts fruitless, set
on foot a proceeding by which they might inflame, not the lowest class
of the commons, but their chief men, the plebeians of consular and
triumphal rank, to the completion of whose honours nothing was now
wanting but the offices of the priesthood, which were not yet laid
open to them. They therefore published a proposal for a law, that,
whereas there were then four augurs and four pontiffs, and it had been
determined that the number of priests should be augmented, the four
additional pontiffs and five augurs should all be chosen out of the
commons. How the college of augurs could be reduced to the number of
four, except by the death of two, I do not understand: for it is a
rule among the augurs, that their number should be composed of threes,
so that the three ancient tribes, the Ramnes, Titienses, and Luceres,
should have each its own augur; or, in case there should be occasion
for more, that each should increase its number of augurs, in equal
proportion with the rest, in like manner as when, by the addition of
five to four, they made up the number nine, so that there were three
to each tribe. However, as it was proposed that they should be chosen
out of the commons, the patricians were as highly offended at